Not sure how many American readers will recall the great British band Chicken Shack. I suppose their biggest, or at least best known contribution to the world is Christine McVie (nee Perfect) to Fleetwood Mac. But since 1967 they’ve been purveyors of some of the grittiest British blues anywhere, and Stan Webb is the great unsung guitar hero. On a par with Eric Clapton or Peter Green, but working under the radar on this side of the pond, Stan Webb is still playing some of the most melodic guitar you’ll ever hear. And he can sizzle when he wants to.
His voice is reminiscent of Alan Price, but his guitar playing has a tone of its own. It rings, it soars, and while the liner notes compare his style to “Freddie King … with the feel of an Earl Hooker style bottleneck,” he really does not sound like anybody else. The band rocks along solidly. Gary Davies on guitar, Jim Rudge on bass and drummer Mick Jones are accompanied by the “Shadow” Horns (Rudiger Baldauf on trumpet, Frank Zirchner on saxes, and Peter Zagona on baritone sax). The whole thing was recorded live at the Capitol Theatre, Peterborn, Germany on 27 March, 2003, and it really comes alive when Stan Webb is in the forefront with his guitar turned up loud and unfettered.
“So Tell Me Now” is the opener and it sets the pace for the whole album. Rocking backup by the band, Webb’s thin vocals and then the sizzling, biting guitar solos from his Les Paul. He turns B. B. King’s signature song, “The Thrill is Gone” into a marathon of blues meditation, beginning with a quiet, twisting guitar part and searching the changes for over 12 minutes. It is quite intriguing and then it morphs into the more familiar riff but still with Webb’s own spin on the tune, playing octaves, and the touch of Spanish sounding guitar work makes a strong argument for Webb’s ownership of this classic. Lowell Fulson’s “Reconsider Baby” is a basic slow shuffle, and then Webb’s own “I Know, I Know” rocks out, with the “Shadow” Horns.
Lennon & McCartney’s “Saw Her Standing There” loses (along with the pronoun) the familiar Beatles’ riff and becomes a slow blues. Weird but interesting. Next up is “Night Life” which has grown to be a favourite from its appearance on many Willie Nelson albums, but Stan Webb claims it for the Brits with this moody rendition. The album concludes with the Etta James classic “I’d Rather Go Blind,” which Webb’s band uses to end their show. Webb introduces the band over the drum shots and bass riff, as the audience cheers. If you’d been there you’d have cheered too. Still live … is a faithful record of a hot band on a good night. Well worth your time … after all these years!
(Mystic Records, 2004)
